Hello!
The ExtremeCarving Session (ECS) is approaching! From Saturday 27 to Monday 29 January 2018 !15 YEARS ANNIVERSARY ! There is already a lot of snow for this party! We have the best season start for years.

Don't miss this 15th session to celebrate the famous event organized by Swoard after they had created the word "extremecarving", the original EC technique and the EC boards. All started here and has spread worldwide. Many friendships appeared here. Thanks to Internet, carving is now trendy in soft boots community too. The word "carving" is back in the catalogs.

This event, organized and sponsored by Swoard, has become much more than simple test days of the brand, because we also propose our ride technique which we tirelessly explain and teach by giving our setups, tips, secrets, etc. This is probably unique among all brands. We are passionate riders above all.

The session is open to the people who want to test Swoard boards, find the proper flex of board (it's like custom choice, another specificity of the brand), take free lessons with the Swoard EC instructors or share their experience. There is also room for soft boots riders thanks to the DUAL2 model and the great freeride domain.

You also can contact the Reservation Center of "Sierre-Anniviers Marketing". It is NOT located in Zinal.
Phone number: +41 (0)848 848 027 (Mon-Fri 08:00-12:00 / 13:30-17:30)
E-mail address: info@sierre-anniviers.ch

Step 4: add your name to the list of participants

Add your name in the other thread with the list of participants to inform the Forum community about your participation.

In consequence, for the people who are staying in the resort less than 7 days, it is always better value to take the blue package + a skipass for the additional days, instead of a skipass at full price for the entire stay + the yellow package.It is better value to take the yellow package only if you stay 7 days or more in the resort.

If it's your first participation, here is the location of Zinal in the canton of Valais! Follow the highway Geneva-Lausanne-Sion-Sierre until "Sierre-Ouest". Take the exit "Val d'Anniviers" and then follow the direction "Zinal" or "Grimentz".

Further to east, in the next valley, people don't speak French but Swiss German...

(1) Will it be possible to buy some DEMO boards at the stand? (and during the Swoard Demo Tour)

- The Extremecarver Gen5: no, because this is a new model and the demo boards are new.
About model Gen4, there is only 3 remaining boards: 175S, 161M and 161S. Please ask Patrice at the stand.

- The DUAL2: no, because this is a new model and the demo boards are new.

- The Extremecarver Pro2: no, this model is made in limited series. There as few demo boards. But we have at disposal demos Pro1 and Pro1.1 which can be bought so we could replace them by Pro2. Please ask Patrice at the stand.

(2) Will it be possible to purchase some NEW boards during the ECS?

Not during the event, because we carry already more than 40 demo boards, and we could not take all the 3 sizes and 5 flexes! But it's possible to purchase your Swoard BEFORE the meeting and to get a delivery at your hotel in Zinal-Grimentz (even before your arrival), or your estate agency. The VAT is 8% and has to be paid directly to the shipping company (the Post). Count 7-9 days for delivery after online purchase and payment, so please anticipate. Thanks!

I have read the thread about the new Mountain Slope hardboots here. Will it be possible to test?

Yes, as written:

Point .951 during the 15th ExtremeCarving Session in Zinal (27-28-29 January, 2018)
For this Swoard event in the past, we were used to invite Tooltonic because we are fans of these fantastic sharpening tools. We admire and support Jean-Bernard who created them.
In the same way it's natural that this year we invite Mountain Slope, and especially the genius designer (named Roger) who we admire for what he created more than 20 years ago, the legendary Northwave .900 and .950. He will be present with several demo pairs for the public at the stand (and on the snow too).

Roger has another job, so he could maybe not come before Saturday evening. We will probably open in this Forum a registration list for the interested people, so we could organize the Sunday tests.

Jean-Bernard is retiring progressively (from any event in Europe).
Though there won't be a Tooltonic stand on the slopes during the meeting, it is possible to get tools with -15% rebate (and Swiss VAT 7.7% only) during the Saturday dinner.

After additional snow falls last weekend, the road to Zinal has been closed for 48h till Tuesday noon. If you planned to come earlier, take this into account.
People in the village right now can't leave till Tuesday. This is for safety reasons and usual procedure.

I'm in Grimentz and everything is fine. The cable car is open there!
They are proceeding to avalanche security.

The weather should be great all week from Tuesday, except on Friday with some snow. This will leave enough time for preparing nice extremecarving slopes!

Saturday should be not bad, and Sunday-Monday very sunny. Once more, people who stay on Monday will really enjoy!

Today I called the guy responsible of grooming.
From tonight Tuesday they will normally groom all evenings our reserved slope "Le Col", as well as "La Face" (the one going below the top chairlift).
These slopes will be perfect for the meeting!

The slopes "Durand" and "Barthélémy" will be prepared as soon as possible before the event. There is a lot of new snow.
Maybe these two slopes will be a bit soft on Saturday, but excellent on Sunday and Monday with the sun!
See you very soon!